partisan 1 of 2

partisan

2 of 2

noun

variants also partizan
1
2
3
as in sectarian
one who stubbornly or intolerantly adheres to his or her own opinions and prejudices she's too much of a political partisan to ever concede that the other side might have a valid point

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word partisan different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of partisan are adherent, disciple, and follower. While all these words mean "one who gives full loyalty and support to another," partisan suggests a zealous often prejudiced attachment.

partisans of the President

When could adherent be used to replace partisan?

The synonyms adherent and partisan are sometimes interchangeable, but adherent suggests a close and persistent attachment.

adherents to Marxism

When might disciple be a better fit than partisan?

While the synonyms disciple and partisan are close in meaning, disciple implies a devoted allegiance to the teachings of one chosen as a master.

disciples of Gandhi

When can follower be used instead of partisan?

Although the words follower and partisan have much in common, follower may apply to people who attach themselves either to the person or beliefs of another.

an evangelist and his followers

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of partisan
Adjective
And Charlotte does not cleanly fit the partisan attacks the White House has waged in Chicago, LA or New York. Wesley Bruer, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025 Citing the rise of political threats, Florida lawmakers passed a bi-partisan bill this year to shield Florida congressional and state lawmakers’ addresses —a strong curtailing of longstanding public records laws in Florida. Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
While there’s no indication the data has been rigged (assertions from the White House aside) – or will be rigged in the future – the White House’s nomination of a partisan to lead the government’s economic data agency was enough to worry global economic and financial circles. Luciana Lopez, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2025 However, his approval has declined more noticeably among Republicans who do not identify as strong partisans and among GOP-leaning independents. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for partisan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for partisan
Adjective
  • The partial closure order was coordinated with the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, along with multiple local, state and federal agency cooperators, to identify the minimum area necessary for the safety of firefighting resources and forest visitors.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Guide dogs that assist people with blindness or partial sightedness are a powerful reminder of the bond humans have formed with our four-legged companions.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • After the Great Black Migration in the 1920s, our city was one of the centers of the Ku Klux Klan’s revival as the strongest populist movement of the decade, claiming 5 million adherents, with 50,000 in Chicago alone.
    Jackson Potter, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025
  • To adherents, Nakamoto is considered a hero who empowered individuals to take back control of money.
    Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • My dear friend Charlie Kirk was our country's relentless and courageous crusader for free speech.
    Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The prosecutor in Lula’s case was Sérgio Moro, a conservative anti-corruption crusader who went on to become Bolsonaro’s justice minister.
    Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Iraqi prime minister at the time, Nuri al-Maliki, was a Shiite sectarian with close ties to Iran, and many of his fellow Shia thought he could be relied on to listen to Iran’s wishes and find a way to avoid clashing with an Iranian proxy militia.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
  • Both sides insist the other initiated the initial volley of gunfire that killed four agents and six sectarians.
    Joshua Alston, Variety, 12 Apr. 2023
Adjective
  • Thanks to climate change, Cosmism’s ambivalent and generally hostile attitude towards the natural world should also sound familiar.
    Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Another camera designed to withstand the hostile environment of space was used outside.
    Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Her authenticity and beauty content attracted millions of followers and high-profile brand partnerships.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Employers increasingly wonder whether campuses are cultivating independent thinkers or just cautious followers.
    Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity under military guidelines, told The Associated Press that about 2,000 to 3,000 Hamas militants remain in Gaza City, along with a network of tunnels.
    Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The Israeli military estimates there are up to 3,000 Hamas militants in Gaza City, a military official said Tuesday, but the tiny number underscores the nearly impossible task facing the IDF, comprising less than 1% of the local population.
    Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Paul, however, is not the anti-immigrant hero Christian nationalists have waited for.
    John Fugelsang September 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
  • On the left were environmentalists who wanted to leave carbon in the ground; on the right, MAGA nationalists who were dismantling wind farms and carrying out mass deportations.
    David Weigel, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Partisan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/partisan. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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